THE SWINGING PENDULUM.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 158, 10 May 1940, Page 4

THE SWINGING PENDULUM.

-THE Norwegian show-clown is likely to bring* about important and far-reaching repercussions for the nation 'does not relish the withdrawal from a campaign to which British soldiers were sent in the. guise of deliverers. As a result of the unsavoury news the House of Commons is now indulging in some of the straightest talk that has been experienced for years. From New Zealand's position the: whole matter could be seen in complete perspective were it not for the obvious propaganda which has been fed to the colonies so consistently ever since the ill-fated expedition was authorised. The only bright feature of the present debate is that the Commons have made it perfectly clear that it will not tolerate the same easy-going tempo for the conduct of the war in future. Something vigorous, something daring and forceful is needed to counteract the brute initiative wliich has characterised the more recent actions of Nazi Germany, and allowed her people to think that they are invincible. The British nation feels, and 'is ready for the infusion of something of its old fighting spirit, and the fighting arms are champing in readiness to get at grips with the enemy, who up to the present has been allowed to grow from strength to strength. What will be the outcome of the present vital debate is hard to predict but after the criticism so freely voiced by representatives of all sections of the politic-machine, the public can rest assured that the war in future will be prosecuted with a vigour and resource already long overdue. Our peaceful overtures having failed so utterly, it is high time we knew our man, and treated him as he deserves to be treated instead of clinging vainly to the hope that reason will prevail, or that internal revolution will bring about his down fall. In the face of what has befallen Czecho-Slovakia, Poland, Finland, Denmark and Norway, the Empire will have a long bitter road to travel to regain her lost prestige, unless some immediate change of war policy is introduced which will tend to restore the faith and confidence of the neutrals in the might and prowess of British arms.